Tom Paton, former manager of the Bay City Rollers, 70
La N
Roller Les still bitter as Paton dies
Published Date: 10 April 2009
By Stephen McGinty
HE WAS the pop Svengali who sent the Bay City Rollers around the world in a
blizzard of tartan scarves and flares. Tam Paton, the band's manager who
convinced young fans that the "Rollers" favoured milk over alcohol, but
whose later career was soured by allegations of drug-dealing and convictions
for sexual abuse, has died. He was 70.
Paton, who became a multi-millionaire through property development -
although former band members believed it was through their success - is
thought to have had a heart attack on Wednesday night while bathing in the
plunge pool of Little Kellerstain, his mansion outside Edinburgh.
Friends who were present in the house called an ambulance, but medical staff
were unable to revive Paton, who had suffered a stroke and two previous
heart attacks in recent years.
Last night, the tradition of not speaking ill of the dead was trumped by the
rock 'n' roll feud. Les McKeown, the former singer with the Bay City
Rollers, hit out at Paton, describing him as a "tyrant despot" and
"predator".
The controversial manager, who was convicted of sexual offences against
teenage boys and fined after police discovered a massive stash of cannabis
at his mansion in 2007, was described by McKeown yesterday as "the beast of
Kellerstain". In a hard-hitting e-mail to The Scotsman, who had requested a
comment about Paton, the singer replied: "The Scottish people can sleep well
knowing the beast of Kellerstain is dead.
"The parents and children can feel safer as one more predator is off the
streets," he wrote.
"All the thousands (of] people that have been affected by his devastating
reign of drugs, terror and abuse can breathe a sigh of relief. He can no
longer directly affect our lives. The tyrant despot is dead; long may he
remain so."
McKeown stated recently in an interview that Paton had drugged and seduced
him, an allegation Paton had denied.
Tam Payton (front) with the Bay City Rollers in the 70s. Lex McKeown (left)
described his ex-boss as a 'tyrant despot'
In 2003 Pat McGlynn, a guitarist with the Bay City Rollers, accused Paton of
attempting to rape him in a hotel room in Australia in 1977. However, Paton
was later cleared, after Lothian and Borders Police said there was
insufficient evidence to take the allegation any further.
Paton managed the band for 11 years through the height of "Rollermania",
when the tartan-trimmed group attracted massive crowds around the world with
songs such as Bye Bye Baby and Shang-a-lang.
Last night, in a follow-up phone call, McKeown, who now lives in London,
asked if the city of Edinburgh was "in mourning". He said he did not know
what the other band members thought of Paton's death. He said: "Some of us
were more badly affected than others".
The band have always claimed that Paton swindled them out of millions.
McKeown said that the manager had persuaded him to sign a contract in the
back of a car and that he lost out on much of the money the Rollers earned
when Paton was in charge. The band are now suing their former record label
in the United States.
Paton's living arrangements also raised eyebrows. Openly gay, he was said to
share his large house with an entourage of young men.
It is believed he was in the plunge bath of his luxury home when he suffered
the heart attack.
Two friends who were in the house were unable to lift him out, and it was
not until a paramedic arrived on a motorcycle that they were able to remove
him from the bath and attempt to revive him.
His family were understood to be at his home last night, as preparations for
his funeral were under way. In a previous interview, Paton said that he
wanted to be cremated to Bing Crosby singing That's The Way Life Is.
In 2002 he revealed that he had finalised his will, giving half his cash to
the Canine Defence League and WWF, formerly known as the World Wildlife
Fund.
The property developer, who the same year won a 25-year fight for £500,000
of unpaid royalties from his time with the band, said the rest of his estate
would be divided between the Children's Hospice in Kinross and Cancer
Research.
He said at the time: "I love animals and they will benefit from my will, as
well as the children's charity and research into cancer. I certainly won't
be leaving my money to the Bay City Rollers."
MWB
In the 1970's I was working on getting my heavy metal band going, " The TUBA
CITY ROLLERS".
GO TUBA CHRISTMAS
Mark
La N
"MWB" <bic...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:grmk10$nko$1...@news.motzarella.org...
- nilta
GO 70's!